Drum machine for the storage of banknotes

ABSTRACT

A machine for the storage of banknotes comprises means ( 11, 22 ) for conveying banknotes in sequence from an input ( 13 ) of the machine to an internal compartment ( 14 ) that comprises in turn a winding drum ( 15 ) of a couple of support tapes ( 16, 17 ) with the interposed banknotes conveyed to the compartment. Overlapping means ( 23 ) are present between the input ( 13 ) of the machine and the winding drum ( 15 ) that receive the banknotes in nonoverlapped sequence from the input ( 13 ) and send them partially overlapped towards the drum ( 15 ). Further spacing means ( 23 ) are provided for re-spacing the banknotes at the output from the compartment. The overlapping means and the spacing means can be made with the same device ( 23 ) suitably actuated.

The present invention refers to a machine for the storage of banknotes.

Machines for the storage of banknotes are known that comprise means forconveying banknotes in sequence from an input of the machine to aninternal compartment that comprises in turn a drum on which a couple oftapes is wound with the interposed banknotes conveyed to thecompartment.

The general aim of the present invention is to supply a machine of thistype that has improved performances however, in particular in regard tothe speed of acceptance and delivery of the banknotes.

In view of this aim we considered making, according to the invention, amachine for the storage of banknotes comprising means for conveyingbanknotes in sequence from an input of the machine to an internalcompartment that comprises a winding drum of a couple of support tapeswith the banknotes conveyed to the compartment interposed, characterizedin that between the input of the machine and the winding drumoverlapping means are positioned that receive the banknotes innon-overlapped sequence from the input and send them partiallyoverlapped towards the drum.

To make even clearer the explanation of the innovative principles of thepresent invention and its advantages in comparison with the knowntechnique, herein below follows the description of an embodiment thereofapplying said principles with the aid of enclosed drawings. In thedrawings:

FIG. 1 represents a schematic view of a machine according to theinvention;

FIG. 2 represents a view, taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1, of adetail of the machine.

With reference to the figures, FIG. 1 shows a machine for the storage ofbanknotes, indicated in general terms with 10. This machine comprisesmeans 11 for conveying banknotes in sequence 12 from an input 13 of themachine to an internal compartment 14. The means for conveying cancomprise one or more conveyor belts and other known means such as wheelsand rails, not shown here in detail as a technician can easily imaginethem. Deflector means 22 can also be provided, for sorting alongdifferent paths of the banknotes in input to and output from thecompartment.

The compartment comprises a motorized drum 15 for winding a couple ofsupport tapes 16, 17 that unwind from feeding reels 18, 19. The tapesare lead to wind onto the drum with the banknotes conveyed to thecompartment interposed. During the movement of receiving the banknotesthe drum is moved by a motor 20 while the tape reels are idle. Duringthe opposite movement of returning the banknotes the drum 15 is leftidle and is made rotate by the rewinding of the tapes on the reels,motorized in a synchronized manner by means of a motorization 21.

Overlapping means 23 are positioned between the input 13 of the machineand the winding drum 15 which receive the banknotes in non-overlappedsequence from the input 13 and send them partially overlapped (as shownschematically in 12 a) towards the drum 15. For the return in output,the machine can comprise means 24 for conveying banknotes in sequencefrom the drum to an output 25. The means 24 are known means similar tothe conveying means 11.

Spacing means are positioned between drum 15 and output 25 that receivethe partially overlapped banknotes from the drum and send them innon-overlapped sequence to the output. Advantageously, the spacing meansand the overlapping means are made with the same path device in oppositedirections, as will be clarified below.

For reasons of operative efficiency, it has been found advantageous forthe path between the input and the overlapping means to be separate fromthe path between the spacing means and the output. In this manner, thereis the possibility of independent operation of known accessories ofselection, sorting, checking, etc., possibly positioned along the inputand output paths.

The overlapping and spacing means suitably accelerate the banknotes intransit to increase the speed in relation to the speed of the tapes 16,17, so that during storage a banknote in transit can reach the banknotethat passed previously pulled by the speed of the tape, while duringunrolling the banknote in transit in the means is moved away from thefollowing banknote still being drawn by the tapes. The output means 24then keep the distance reached.

For the control of the speeds and the rotation direction of the variousmotorizations a control system 26 is provided, for example an electroniccontroller suitably programmed. This control system is of a knownstructure and can be easily imagined by the technician and will not befurther described or shown here. Advantageously, a sensor 27 (forexample, of the optical type) can be provided, that detects the passageof banknotes directed towards the overlapping means for controlling theaction of the overlapping means and ensuring the right degree ofoverlapping, actuating overlapping means with the correct timing inrelation to the transit of the banknotes.

In the preferred embodiment, the banknotes are conveyed with the greaterdimension transversal to the movement direction.

A position found advantageous for the spacing and overlapping means isat the input of the compartment, that is, in the zone where the beltscome side-by-side to make a narrow passage for the banknotes and thenreach the drum.

Preferred overlapping and spacing means are shown more in detail in FIG.2.

As can be seen in this Figure, the spacing means and the overlappingmeans comprise a couple of traction rollers 28, 29 positioned facingeach other and parallel, between which the banknotes 12 pass. Thedistance between the rollers is such as to ensure the traction of thebanknotes. For example, the rollers, covered in rubber or similar, canbe in contact along the periphery. The couple of traction rollers ismotorized to vary upon command the speed of the banknotes that flowbetween them in the sense of bringing closer or taking further away thesuccessive banknotes. The motorization can be achieved by connecting oneof the rollers of the couple to a motor (not shown) through atransmission 30, while the other roller is put into rotation by contactwith the first one.

In the preferred embodiment, the couple of the rollers 28, 29 is coaxialto rollers 31, 32 for returning the tapes 16, 17 between a condition ofbringing closer the surfaces of the tapes towards the drum and acondition of taking them further away in relation to the respectivereels 18, 19 for feeding and collecting the tapes. In particular, eachroller of the couple of traction rollers is divided into two rollersegments 28 a, 28 b and 29 a, 29 b that are positioned at the two endsof a corresponding roller 31, 32 of said return rollers. The returnroller has a smaller diameter than the diameter of the two tractionroller segments between which it is inserted so as not to interfere withthe banknotes. The tapes have a lower width than the dimension of thebanknotes that is transversal to the flow direction. The return rollersare mounted idle on the same shaft as the corresponding traction roller.

At this point it is clear how the preset aims are achieved. Inparticular, the speed of dispensing and storage of the banknotes isincreased, without having to excessively increase the flow speeds of thetapes of the compartment. In addition, the length of the tapes can bekept considerably more reduced than the tapes of the known technique atan equal number of banknotes that can be stored. The entity ofoverlapping can be varied a lot by suitably commanding the overlappingdevice.

Naturally, the description made above of an embodiment applying theinnovative principles of the present invention is given as an example ofthese innovative principles and therefore must not be taken as limitingwithin the sphere of patent right herein claimed. The machine can, forexample, comprise known means for the recognition, selection andchecking of the banknotes. The machine can also be fitted with severaldrum compartments, with suitable means for selecting the path of thebanknotes.

1. Machine for the storage of banknotes comprising means (11, 22) forconveying banknotes in sequence from an input (13) of the machine to aninternal compartment (14) that comprises a winding drum (15) of a coupleof support tapes (16, 17) with the banknotes conveyed to the compartmentinterposed, characterized in that between the input (13) of the machineand the winding drum (15) overlapping means (23) are present to receivethe banknotes in non-overlapped sequence from the input (13) and sendthem partially overlapped towards the drum (15).
 2. Machine according toclaim 1, characterized in that it comprises means (22, 24) for conveyingbanknotes in sequence from drum (15) to an output (25) of the machine,between drum (15) and output (25) spacing means (23) being positioned toreceive the partially overlapped banknotes from the drum and send themin non-overlapped sequence to the output.
 3. Machine according to claim1, characterized in that the overlapping means (23) accelerate thebanknotes to increase their speed in relation to the speed of the tapeswinding on the drum (15).
 4. Machine according to claim 2, characterizedin that the spacing means (23) accelerate the banknotes to increasetheir speed in relation to the speed of the tapes being unwound from thedrum (15).
 5. Machine according to claim 2, characterized in that thepath between the input (13) and the overlapping means (23) is basicallyseparate from the path between the spacing means (23) and the output(25).
 6. Machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the spacingmeans and the overlapping means comprise a couple of parallel tractionrollers (28,29) between which the banknotes pass, the couple of tractionrollers being motorized to vary upon command the speed of the banknotesthat flow between them in the sense that the successive banknotes arebrought closer or further away.
 7. Machine according to claim 6,characterized in that a roller of the couple (28, 29) is motorized andthe other is rotated through contact with the first.
 8. Machineaccording to claim 2, characterized in that the overlapping means andthe spacing means are formed by the same device (23) followed in theopposite direction by the banknotes in input or output.
 9. Machineaccording to claim 6, characterized in that the overlapping means andthe spacing means are formed by the same device (23) followed in theopposite direction by the banknotes in input or output and the couple ofrollers (28, 29) is coaxial to the return rollers (31, 32) of the tapes(16, 17) between a condition of bringing the surfaces closer towards thedrum and a further away condition in relation to the respective feedingand collection reels (18, 19) of the two tapes.
 10. Machine according toclaim 9, characterized in that each roller of the couple of tractionrollers is divided into two roller segments (28 a, 28 b and 29 a, 29 b)positioned at the two ends of a corresponding roller (31 or 32) of thesaid return rollers, the return roller having a smaller diameter thanthe diameter of the two segments of traction roller between which it isinserted so as not to interfere with the banknotes in transit. 11.Machine according to claim 10, characterized in that the return rollers(31, 32) are mounted idle on the same shaft as the correspondingtraction roller (28, 29).
 12. Machine according to claim 1,characterized in that it comprises a sensor (27) for detecting thepassage of banknotes directed towards the overlapping means to controlthe action of the overlapping means.
 13. Machine according to claim 1,characterized in that the banknotes are moved with the greater dimensiontransversal to the conveying movement.